Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu reaffirmed that “Atmanirbhar Himachal” is not just a political slogan but the passion and commitment of his government to make the state self-reliant. Addressing a gathering at Mandi on Monday, he announced that financial assistance for people who lost their belongings during natural disasters would be increased to Rs 1 lakh from Rs 70,000.
He said that despite limited resources, the government was determined to rebuild the state’s economy and support disaster-affected families.
“Building a house takes a lifetime for a family. How can Rs 1.30 lakh be enough as compensation? The Union Government provides only this amount for rebuilding a house, but I come from a common family and understand the people’s pain. That is why we raised the compensation for fully damaged houses from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and enhanced it to Rs 1 lakh for partially damaged houses,” he said.
The Chief Minister accused the BJP of politicising relief work and expressed disappointment that BJP legislators from Mandi district skipped the function despite being invited.
“The BJP leaders are insensitive to people’s suffering. Their only aim is to play politics and spread lies,” he remarked.
Sukhu stated that even two months after the Prime Minister’s announcement, Himachal had not received any financial help from the Centre.
“I am ready to go to Delhi under the leadership of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. I have no ego—my only goal is to help disaster victims,” he said, reiterating his appeal to the Centre to allow rehabilitation of affected families on forest land.
Highlighting welfare measures, he said the government had adopted 6,000 orphan children as ‘Children of the State’ and was providing financial assistance for the higher education of widows’ children.
He also cited the government’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy, including increasing the procurement price of cow’s milk to Rs 51 per litre and buffalo’s milk to Rs 61 per litre. Naturally grown wheat, maize, barley and raw turmeric were also being procured from farmers to raise their income.
The Chief Minister said transparent liquor contract auctions had generated Rs 450 crore in a year, unlike the previous BJP regime, which misused public funds.
He alleged that the BJP government built unnecessary buildings worth Rs 1,000 crore to benefit contractors and allotted 5,000 bighas of land in Baddi-Nalagarh to industrialists for just Rs 14 lakh, though the land’s market value was Rs 5,000 crore.
He said that restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) was a promise fulfilled. “I am the son of a government employee. As long as I am Chief Minister, Himachal will remain under OPS,” he said.
Sukhu pointed out that Himachal’s ranking in school education had improved from 21st to 5th position due to reforms.
“Robotic surgery has started at Tanda and Chamiyana, and this facility will soon be extended to all medical colleges,” he added.
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